TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SmartRyde, Inc. (Head Office: Tokyo Representative Director: Sota Kimura) is pleased to announce that it has raised approximately $1.6M in a Series A funding round. The investment is led by Angel Bridge and included SG Incubate, Yamaguchi Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, Hiroshima Venture Capital, Iyogin Capital, Inventum Ventures, individual investor and serial entrepreneur Shouji Kodama, Nobuaki Takahashi (NOB LLC), and Optima Ventures.
Background
We are creating a marketplace to connect local transportation operators and online travel agencies (OTAs) with the mission of "contributing to the sustainable development of local communities through transportation." As of August 2021, we have collaborated with more than 650 transportation operators and more than 25 OTAs, including top global players such as Booking.com, Expedia, Trip.com, Traveloka, and Despegar.
SmartRyde has already established partnerships with many clients, including major OTAs, travel agencies, and mobility companies.
We will continue to promote collaboration with OTAs around the world as a one-stop travel experience solution.
Latest trends for international travel
Since March 2020, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) travel restrictions, we have experienced a significant decrease in the number of reservations.
However, since December 2020, the number of reservations, especially tourists from the U.S., has been increasing rapidly. This is a direct result of the strengthening of cooperation between Mexico and the Dominican Republic in the Latin American and Caribbean region, which had recovered in international travel demand ahead of the rest of the world.
Purpose of fundraising
Since the launch of our airport transfer marketplace, we have been working hard to develop and strengthen ties with local transportation operators and OTAs.
With this funding, we will strengthen system integration with OTAs on the demand side, build a booking management system for transportation operators on the supply side, and promote digital transformation. We will contribute to both sales and operational efficiency, and aim to become an irreplaceable presence for local transportation operators.
About SmartRyde
We are a marketplace that provides airport transfer services to over 700 airports worldwide. We provide reasonable, safe and reliable airport transfer services at each airport.
website : https://smart-ryde.com/
